New bike light on kickstarter-Barry Beams
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bikelighting
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Barry Beams says hi Re: New bike light on kickstarter-Barry Beams
Since people with first hand experience in race critical and life on the line bombing downhill and remote trail environments love using my lights, then if you live in the SF Bay area, get in touch to arrange a test ride.
@ttoshi, thx for spreading the word about the light.
Joan Dietchman had awesome night time speeds this past weekend at the Furnace Creek 508, and four other racers there also found a special advantage with my lights, further affirming that these lights really do give bikers something special on the road versus any other optical approach available. They know that its not only about making lumens, its what color are they and where do you put them?
Naysayers are one of the many chuckholes that come with an inventors' and innovators' turf.
Its curious seeing people expound on far reaching assumptions, yet not contact me directly for simples answers. The amusing speculations and "must be" assertions take conventional wisdom to extremes. These leave out needs of a viable commercial product, nor consider non-amortized thousands already invested in de$ign and tooling. Interesting that no one commented on the built in high power charging circuit, essential for recharging higher power internal cells.
Cool Polymer is awesome stuff. Yes it does extude directionally, and requires a particular touch to machine it without chipping or shattering. A $400. ingot + 80+ hours got me the CNC'ed test heatsinks that I made prototypes and did thermal measurements from.
The antique motorcycle solution would be a DC to DC regulator taken from the output of another device made by an electrical specialites company in place of the antique generator. The project needed more time and $$ than the customer's schedule and budget would allow.
Funny, also, to see an old troll still at it, after I needed to block him or he was removed from harrassing other lists. Certainly the monitors should address his use of demeaning language and slanderous portrayal at me.
Since most of the postings raise topics that the Kickstarter page covers, please read it before posting further.
Best way to see what a few years and a ton of money went into developing, is to place an order.
The demands of launching a startup take up more time than there are hours on the clock. I did want to respond to the thread, and thank you for the bandwidth and exposure.
This will be my only posting here til my brake/taillight is ready to launch in a few months. Please send further tech questions through the Kickstarter project site and I'll answer promptly, and please do keep spreading word about my project.
My advice, if you don't want to do that, from Mark Twain,
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
Helmet Side Up,
Barry
Since people with first hand experience in race critical and life on the line bombing downhill and remote trail environments love using my lights, then if you live in the SF Bay area, get in touch to arrange a test ride.
@ttoshi, thx for spreading the word about the light.
Joan Dietchman had awesome night time speeds this past weekend at the Furnace Creek 508, and four other racers there also found a special advantage with my lights, further affirming that these lights really do give bikers something special on the road versus any other optical approach available. They know that its not only about making lumens, its what color are they and where do you put them?
Naysayers are one of the many chuckholes that come with an inventors' and innovators' turf.
Its curious seeing people expound on far reaching assumptions, yet not contact me directly for simples answers. The amusing speculations and "must be" assertions take conventional wisdom to extremes. These leave out needs of a viable commercial product, nor consider non-amortized thousands already invested in de$ign and tooling. Interesting that no one commented on the built in high power charging circuit, essential for recharging higher power internal cells.
Cool Polymer is awesome stuff. Yes it does extude directionally, and requires a particular touch to machine it without chipping or shattering. A $400. ingot + 80+ hours got me the CNC'ed test heatsinks that I made prototypes and did thermal measurements from.
The antique motorcycle solution would be a DC to DC regulator taken from the output of another device made by an electrical specialites company in place of the antique generator. The project needed more time and $$ than the customer's schedule and budget would allow.
Funny, also, to see an old troll still at it, after I needed to block him or he was removed from harrassing other lists. Certainly the monitors should address his use of demeaning language and slanderous portrayal at me.
Since most of the postings raise topics that the Kickstarter page covers, please read it before posting further.
Best way to see what a few years and a ton of money went into developing, is to place an order.
The demands of launching a startup take up more time than there are hours on the clock. I did want to respond to the thread, and thank you for the bandwidth and exposure.
This will be my only posting here til my brake/taillight is ready to launch in a few months. Please send further tech questions through the Kickstarter project site and I'll answer promptly, and please do keep spreading word about my project.
My advice, if you don't want to do that, from Mark Twain,
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
Helmet Side Up,
Barry
Re: Barry Beams says hi Re: New bike light on kickstarter-Barry Beams
Barry, I hope you find success and your dreams do come true, but I will use another quote, "Put up or shut up".
Your post that I have quoted below is all hand waving. "People" ? ... please provide names and pedigree, i.e. accomplishments in professional cycle racing. Written letters with signatures go a long way.
You addressed virtually nothing in this forum hence you should expect that you will be considered less than sincere in your claims.
A photometrics reports with 2.5 degree resolution can be run by most photometric labs. All I personally would like to see is an independent photometrics report that shows the lighting distribution.
The beam shots we have available to us (us being people here who know lighting, automotive lighting, human perception, etc.) do not give us confidence the product meets your claims. Even the alluded asymetric beam pattern as one would expect in a road light is not evident.
I have been involved in quite a few startups, some succesful, some not so much .... always took the time to talk with prospective customers and those who could advocate for me.
We are "customers" and "experts". We have every right to be skeptical when the information that has been presented to us does not meet the product claims. You tell us we are making assumptions and leaps. WELL BARRY, YOU ARE TRYING TO GET INVESTMENT!!! Everything should be clear. There should be no room for leaps or assumptions.
I have read the Kickstarter page ... as difficult to follows as it is at times and as lacking as it is in verifiable information. I will not be placing an order as frankly, you have not sold me.
As one entrepreneur to another may I make a suggestion? As opposed to blowing off us naysayers... otherwise known as knowledgeable potential customers and critics, why not address the concerns we have raised. If you did that, you may find yourself with more sales and endorsements ...... just a thought.
The reason I did not say anything about the built in charger is that you are using a single cell battery and given there are any number of single chip off the shelf charge control ICs, it is not impressive to me. It also makes no impact on the efficiency. Want to impress me, tell me about your high performance LED driver, or provide a member a sample loan to test the approximate lumens claimed as well as the run time claims. People on here would even do it for free... what great value for your project. If you believe in it as strongly as indicated, then this is a no brainer.
I read some of the posts indicated by the person you claim to be slanderous. I did not find his tone slanderous and I actually felt that you were making attacks on him. He appeared to be using valid thought out arguments as opposed to conjecture which is what he was greeted with. I am independent, I have no stake in this either way so perhaps my opinion should be considered.
If you do choose to break your "vow" and post here, I encourage you ... to use nothing but facts ... objective, not subjective. You will find it gets you much farther with people that know what they are doing.
Semiman
Barry, I hope you find success and your dreams do come true, but I will use another quote, "Put up or shut up".
Your post that I have quoted below is all hand waving. "People" ? ... please provide names and pedigree, i.e. accomplishments in professional cycle racing. Written letters with signatures go a long way.
You addressed virtually nothing in this forum hence you should expect that you will be considered less than sincere in your claims.
A photometrics reports with 2.5 degree resolution can be run by most photometric labs. All I personally would like to see is an independent photometrics report that shows the lighting distribution.
The beam shots we have available to us (us being people here who know lighting, automotive lighting, human perception, etc.) do not give us confidence the product meets your claims. Even the alluded asymetric beam pattern as one would expect in a road light is not evident.
I have been involved in quite a few startups, some succesful, some not so much .... always took the time to talk with prospective customers and those who could advocate for me.
We are "customers" and "experts". We have every right to be skeptical when the information that has been presented to us does not meet the product claims. You tell us we are making assumptions and leaps. WELL BARRY, YOU ARE TRYING TO GET INVESTMENT!!! Everything should be clear. There should be no room for leaps or assumptions.
I have read the Kickstarter page ... as difficult to follows as it is at times and as lacking as it is in verifiable information. I will not be placing an order as frankly, you have not sold me.
As one entrepreneur to another may I make a suggestion? As opposed to blowing off us naysayers... otherwise known as knowledgeable potential customers and critics, why not address the concerns we have raised. If you did that, you may find yourself with more sales and endorsements ...... just a thought.
The reason I did not say anything about the built in charger is that you are using a single cell battery and given there are any number of single chip off the shelf charge control ICs, it is not impressive to me. It also makes no impact on the efficiency. Want to impress me, tell me about your high performance LED driver, or provide a member a sample loan to test the approximate lumens claimed as well as the run time claims. People on here would even do it for free... what great value for your project. If you believe in it as strongly as indicated, then this is a no brainer.
I read some of the posts indicated by the person you claim to be slanderous. I did not find his tone slanderous and I actually felt that you were making attacks on him. He appeared to be using valid thought out arguments as opposed to conjecture which is what he was greeted with. I am independent, I have no stake in this either way so perhaps my opinion should be considered.
If you do choose to break your "vow" and post here, I encourage you ... to use nothing but facts ... objective, not subjective. You will find it gets you much farther with people that know what they are doing.
Semiman
AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Barry Beams says hi Re: New bike light on kickstarter-Barry Beams
No small number of custom makers and new companies take advantage of the tremendous resources here on cpf to develop, test, and market their lights. Pass-arounds, reviews by some of the known users, and cold, hard facts convince us. To paraphrase a man who shaped modern industry, "In God we trust. All others bring data."
Good luck in your product. I'd love to hear your response to my concerns about the apparent beam patterns I captured from your video. If your data shows a good product, the assertions can't do any harm. Right now I've got our guesses and your videos to go by. Sell it!
No small number of custom makers and new companies take advantage of the tremendous resources here on cpf to develop, test, and market their lights. Pass-arounds, reviews by some of the known users, and cold, hard facts convince us. To paraphrase a man who shaped modern industry, "In God we trust. All others bring data."
Good luck in your product. I'd love to hear your response to my concerns about the apparent beam patterns I captured from your video. If your data shows a good product, the assertions can't do any harm. Right now I've got our guesses and your videos to go by. Sell it!
Re: Barry Beams says hi Re: New bike light on kickstarter-Barry Beams
Barry,
Thanks for writing in the thread. $99 is not much for a 1400(?) lumen bike light (especially for one with non-circular beam), but I feel that there are too many questions for me to be interested. I agree that sending a pre-production sample to one of the CPF regular reviewers could have convinced many people both here and elsewhere (provided that the light was found out to be good of course).
Good luck with your projects and one comment about your post:
This is a pretty useless advice since the Kickstarter comments section is meant for backers only. We must support you with our wallets first if we want to ask questions there.
Barry,
Thanks for writing in the thread. $99 is not much for a 1400(?) lumen bike light (especially for one with non-circular beam), but I feel that there are too many questions for me to be interested. I agree that sending a pre-production sample to one of the CPF regular reviewers could have convinced many people both here and elsewhere (provided that the light was found out to be good of course).
Good luck with your projects and one comment about your post:
This is a pretty useless advice since the Kickstarter comments section is meant for backers only. We must support you with our wallets first if we want to ask questions there.
bikelighting
Banned
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 4
Once again, if you care to ask questions directly instead of this behind my back slander fest as if I came out and proved that Jesus wasn't divinely conceived, then you can ask them on my Kickstarter, by clicking on the light blue colored box on the bottom of the project description titled "Ask a question."
This is contrary to Esko's mistaken claim that you have to place an order before you can ask a question.
Applesnail's video clips and erroneous interpretation got me curious. If you are the guy with antique Harley's, your sour grapes posting shows that I should not trust giving you lighting support on future events. Considering the strength of the direct introduction I was given to you, you really ought to know better than to claim against the first hand judgement of a guy who zipped around at night on a motorcycle with his only lighting coming from my light clamped to his handlebar.
The problem with those frame clips is omitting the source of the images. Frame capture of a 60FPS compact videocam in motion under high frequency road vibration with rapid image stabilization and exposure metering correction has obvious limits. I'm not into posting knowingly deceiving stationary shot from a high resolution camera on a tripod. The frame captures shows are misleading, whether that was done knowingly or not.
But I would expect a higher degree of common knowledge on this list than to not question the type of equipment and camera settings used for any night photography taken. I'll hand over a live light for the side by side lighting shootouts on MTBR. For reference, in their 2006 shootout, my setup at that point in LED lighting development was equal to the best of the test at any price, and couldn't be included because it wasn't a commercially available light. Those lights were the stone age compared to where I am now. While the rest of the industry continues to build the same basic light, based on the same conventional wisdom.
Contrary to Esko's attempt to stop any of you from asking questions to me through Kickstarter, anyone can ask a question on Kickstarter without needing to place an order.
To do so, click on the light blue colored box on the bottom of the project description titled "Ask a question."
The very few people who get prototypes are on rigid NDA agreements, including detailed burden of proof clauses that cover the Lawrence Livermore case criteria, and have demonstrated specific need to know. Anyone is welcome to buy a light and reverse engineer for their own personal and private use. The anxious enthusiasm to get wholesale quantities of my lights based on demos I gave at Interbike to well known and long established major bike equipment distributors states the high value my lights will have on the market.
For anyone studying usable visibilty and optical design, the almighty total lumen count is a false god. It seems that Candlepower Forums lives in a vacuum of self declared false authority to anoint or excommunicate according to what conforms to only your approved range of conventional wisdom. Since there is little about my lights that follows conventional wisdom, I don't expect much acceptance of my ideas on this list.
A better use of your collective braintrust would be to devise a usable visibility measurement which would provide accurate indication of the real usable visibility that a bicycle light provides. End lumens, beam lumens, and field lumens would be a start. A field lumen measure of the beam lumens on a German STVo type target might be a start.
Several people who I steered this thread to found the general attitude entertaining. The clearest portrayal was, "Wow...some of these guys need attitude adjustments...yikes!"
Now that I've responded to those single frame screen captures, and described where to ask a direct question through Kickstarter without making a purchase, I really am out of here. Either write me there, contact me privately, or schedule a night ride where I'll set you up with a light to try out yourself.
Helmet side up,
Barry
This is contrary to Esko's mistaken claim that you have to place an order before you can ask a question.
Applesnail's video clips and erroneous interpretation got me curious. If you are the guy with antique Harley's, your sour grapes posting shows that I should not trust giving you lighting support on future events. Considering the strength of the direct introduction I was given to you, you really ought to know better than to claim against the first hand judgement of a guy who zipped around at night on a motorcycle with his only lighting coming from my light clamped to his handlebar.
The problem with those frame clips is omitting the source of the images. Frame capture of a 60FPS compact videocam in motion under high frequency road vibration with rapid image stabilization and exposure metering correction has obvious limits. I'm not into posting knowingly deceiving stationary shot from a high resolution camera on a tripod. The frame captures shows are misleading, whether that was done knowingly or not.
But I would expect a higher degree of common knowledge on this list than to not question the type of equipment and camera settings used for any night photography taken. I'll hand over a live light for the side by side lighting shootouts on MTBR. For reference, in their 2006 shootout, my setup at that point in LED lighting development was equal to the best of the test at any price, and couldn't be included because it wasn't a commercially available light. Those lights were the stone age compared to where I am now. While the rest of the industry continues to build the same basic light, based on the same conventional wisdom.
Contrary to Esko's attempt to stop any of you from asking questions to me through Kickstarter, anyone can ask a question on Kickstarter without needing to place an order.
To do so, click on the light blue colored box on the bottom of the project description titled "Ask a question."
The very few people who get prototypes are on rigid NDA agreements, including detailed burden of proof clauses that cover the Lawrence Livermore case criteria, and have demonstrated specific need to know. Anyone is welcome to buy a light and reverse engineer for their own personal and private use. The anxious enthusiasm to get wholesale quantities of my lights based on demos I gave at Interbike to well known and long established major bike equipment distributors states the high value my lights will have on the market.
For anyone studying usable visibilty and optical design, the almighty total lumen count is a false god. It seems that Candlepower Forums lives in a vacuum of self declared false authority to anoint or excommunicate according to what conforms to only your approved range of conventional wisdom. Since there is little about my lights that follows conventional wisdom, I don't expect much acceptance of my ideas on this list.
A better use of your collective braintrust would be to devise a usable visibility measurement which would provide accurate indication of the real usable visibility that a bicycle light provides. End lumens, beam lumens, and field lumens would be a start. A field lumen measure of the beam lumens on a German STVo type target might be a start.
Several people who I steered this thread to found the general attitude entertaining. The clearest portrayal was, "Wow...some of these guys need attitude adjustments...yikes!"
Now that I've responded to those single frame screen captures, and described where to ask a direct question through Kickstarter without making a purchase, I really am out of here. Either write me there, contact me privately, or schedule a night ride where I'll set you up with a light to try out yourself.
Helmet side up,
Barry
AS EXPECTED BARRY, YOU HAND WAVED ... AND SAID NOTHING! ... and yes I am shouting because you are not listening.
SO I WILL SPELL IT OUT CLEARLY --- HAVE A PHOTOMETRICS TEST DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT LAB AND POST THE RESULTS ... PERIOD! NOTHING ELSE REALLY CUTS IT
As I stated VERY CLEARLY, there numerous people on this forum with extensive knowledge of lighting for transportation purposes and can look at a photometrics report and tell very quickly how well it will work. We don't need to invest any time devising methods for "real usable visibility" ..... as a photometrics report coupled with well understood concepts regarding near field lighting and far field lighting for transportation exist.
So again, PUT UP OR SHUT UP ... respectfully of course.
Of course you could also address:
- Energy management and show how you actually achieve claims
- etc.
But instead you choose to hand wave.
Why is that? I am guessing for one you have not had an independent optical test. Don't tell me that you have to have the mold made first, parts run, etc. as there are many companies that will machine optical prototypes ... heck a numerically accurate simulation as opposed to a too small to see color graph would work too.
If you think any of these things are too much to expect to be provided to an "investor". Just say so.
Semiman
p.s. I have asked in a very professional, clear, and concise manner the questions as above and in my other post on Kickstarter. Based on your posts here, I expect .. yes expect an answer .... publicly please.
SO I WILL SPELL IT OUT CLEARLY --- HAVE A PHOTOMETRICS TEST DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT LAB AND POST THE RESULTS ... PERIOD! NOTHING ELSE REALLY CUTS IT
As I stated VERY CLEARLY, there numerous people on this forum with extensive knowledge of lighting for transportation purposes and can look at a photometrics report and tell very quickly how well it will work. We don't need to invest any time devising methods for "real usable visibility" ..... as a photometrics report coupled with well understood concepts regarding near field lighting and far field lighting for transportation exist.
So again, PUT UP OR SHUT UP ... respectfully of course.
Of course you could also address:
- Energy management and show how you actually achieve claims
- etc.
But instead you choose to hand wave.
Why is that? I am guessing for one you have not had an independent optical test. Don't tell me that you have to have the mold made first, parts run, etc. as there are many companies that will machine optical prototypes ... heck a numerically accurate simulation as opposed to a too small to see color graph would work too.
If you think any of these things are too much to expect to be provided to an "investor". Just say so.
Semiman
p.s. I have asked in a very professional, clear, and concise manner the questions as above and in my other post on Kickstarter. Based on your posts here, I expect .. yes expect an answer .... publicly please.
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I don't have a big problem with the false-color graph - it's more than Ph*enix or Filyps AktyveR!te are offering at the moment.... However, it made me wonder which of Barry's claims about superior lighting quality are justified - compared NOT to his cycling buddies' repackaged flashlight beams, but to vehicle beams. And I'm not even talking about complicated, fancy stuff like this
http://www.faz.net/polopoly_fs/1.18...pg_gen/derivatives/width610x580/355865546.jpg
So I went ahead and watched Barry's yt videos. I found them annoyingly devoid of informational content, and I gladly switched over to the beginning of David Lynch's Lost Highway. This movie at least features a fascinating soundtrack to make up for the short-reaching beams on-road ... Deranged. I'm almost tempted to put this label on someone who has spent significant money, time and effort on a product, and is choosing to risk a lot by displaying a defensive, unprofessional attitute toward peers here, however jealous, erroneous, disgruntled, culturally challenged, or indeed slanderous they might be.
Right... I wrote that the price of your light is good and wished you good luck. I guess I wasn't positive enough for you. I didn't "try" anything, I just saw the comments section in main menu bar in the beginning of the page. I am not a Kickstarter member or regular, how could I know that there was multiple ways to ask questions?
Well, in my honest opinion, "we" are not the only ones who could benefit from a little attitude adjustment. Customer is the king, you know? He may not always be right, but he is the one who makes the decisions. Some customers might be bashing or they may give false statements, but even if you can't convince them, your patient and friendly answers might convince lots of other people that follow the discussion. Instead of it, if you choose to attack, you might scare away some of the people that were originally interested in your products. A man who claims to have been studying the successes and failures of Silicon Valley start-ups for years should know better.
It is StVZO. The cut-off principle is naturally the way all bike light manufacturers should follow. However, AFAIK the maximum power allowed in the oldish StVZO regulations is 2,4 watts in a 6 volts system, and 5 watts in a 12 volts systems. Sure enough, there are more powerful lights that have the approval. As far as I know, they shouldn't have been approved though.
(The most powerful light with StVZO approval is the Busch&Müller Big Bang HID light).
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AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'm sad to see someone assuming so many things about me. The last time I was on a motorcycle, I was about six. I know quite a bit about photography and videos of flashlight output. However, you are correct: I should have clarified why I grabbed stills from your video:
My first consideration in buying any light, or suggesting it to other people, is its light output. Not lumens, or lux, or cutoff, but how it works for seeing. Here on CPF, we tend to communicate these with beamshots. Photometric data and false-color graphs of lux are nice - if there is a brightness scale and orientation mapped on the image. Is your false-color plot a planar or spherical projection? What bearing are the sides of the panel at? So far the only pictures I have that show the light's output as it would appear in person are those video frames. This is a good discussion that certainly bears more information for a purchasing choice. I don't know much about MTBR's 2006 shootout, except that it was six years ago.
Note: I am not asking questions to belittle your project. I am asking questions because I want to know more about it. NDA or not, who has a "specific need to know" more than your potential customers? Anyway, your request for a visibility measurement is misguided. Lumens aren't very helpful. With simple conical beam patterns (Many flashlights) 'Lux at 1m' is a good measure for throw. But a beamshot - as close to what it appears like - is the best test I have seen so far. Yes, a beamshot could be gamed. I could use a mag lite solitaire on a long exposure and pretend that it will light up a stadium. As in all demonstrations, honesty is required -- and I know that that won't be a problem.
Good luck! Let us know when you'd like to answer potential-consumer questions without an NDA.
Wrong. Unfortunately, there are several severely challenged experts who perpetuate those myths on the interwebs.
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Well, thanks for stating that I am wrong. I would like to thank you also for telling what actually is written to said regulation but, well, maybe I can do that next time.
I suppose my impressions are coming from those "challenged experts", which hadn't been challenged though, otherwise I would know that they were wrong. My German language skills are not very good but I searched for the actual regulation (here, and google translation here) and learned, that indeed there is no upper limits to the power. I also learned, that according to StVZO, every bicycle (except for some road bikes, clauses 11-12) must be equipped with a dynamo driven headlight (clauses 1&3) and taillight (clauses 1&4) which can only be turned on and off together (clause 9). The possible battery driven lights are just extra (the google translation of clause 5 is wrong, instead of "must" it should be "can").
Thanks indeed. This was a rather enlightening experience regarding said regulation.
And, in case I am wrong again, I hope you tell me how things actually are (with sources).Good job, Esko, I thank you, and please don't take being "differently informed" (formerly called: wrong) personally. You did exactly what I would expect from real experts and anyone interested in learning the truth. Was it hard? No. Did it take some effort? Yes, but you'll remember what you found out, and if you had a website containing some erroneous information, you would simply edit it.
Further technical details are described in a number of "TA" regulations via paragraph 22a StVZO, TA #1 and TA #23 among them. Taiwanese manufacturers seem to be more familiar with these than Americans, and that's fine with me, no need to adhere to foreign standards if you have a better beam ... and succeed in convincing prospective customers that you really do.
Further technical details are described in a number of "TA" regulations via paragraph 22a StVZO, TA #1 and TA #23 among them. Taiwanese manufacturers seem to be more familiar with these than Americans, and that's fine with me, no need to adhere to foreign standards if you have a better beam ... and succeed in convincing prospective customers that you really do.
As far as I have read, it is TA 4 that supposedly contains the information about those power limits. I am not familiar with said addendums but without going too much off-topic, perhaps you could shortly describe where such a (common?) misunderstanding comes from. Even better, if you can show where to find those regulations online.
Concerning the barrybeams lamp, I see little reason to discuss its battery power supply along some foreign administration's ideas.
Most of the TA data is on Schultz's enhydralutris site.
FYI, after 48 hours approx I received a reply on Kickstarter from Barry ... it did not contain an answer to my questions, but a request to either call him, or contact him via personal email to have the questions answered. I have sent him an email to the address he provided and now I await a response. No reason was given for not answering on the Kickstarter email system.
Semiman
Semiman
The Last and Final word .. at least from me.
1) ********************************************************************************
I asked the following questions using the email feature on Kickstarter. I think all the questions are fairly innocuous and are not asking for anything particularly proprietary and would not be out of the order for a potential purchaser and/public investor. One could argue the photometrics is maybe too much, but considering this thing has in theory been publicly demonstrated, at least in its functional form, nothing should be out of the ordinary:
Barry,
Several people have questions about the veracity of the claims on this Kickstarter. Can you please address this.
1) You claim to have a beam design that will not create glare for opposing riders and other road users. This requires an asymmetric beam pattern, i.e. more light to the right, less to the left, unless you drive on the opposite side of the road. HOWEVER, in the images that have been provided, this does not seem to be the case.
2) There appears to be a bright spot right in front of the bicycles in the image which appears to be a circular artifact. That could be distracting. Do you guarantee this will be eliminated from the final beam.
3) As a prospective investor, I am interested in seeing a 3rd party labs photometric test of your light. This will provide verifiable proof of light beam quality and efficiency.
4) The picture of the circuit board does not show any DC-DC converter circuitry. This would be required for maximum efficiency. Do you have a DC-DC constant current circuit for driving the LED? Is the light level constant for the whole battery life?
5) You claim 1400 lumens, however taking into account electrical losses, best in class LEDs at the required drive currents, and expected optical losses, I cannot see how you can put out 1400 lumens and meet your battery run time claims unless the light level drops over the batteries discharge. Can you address this?
Thank You
2) ********************************************************************************
Barry chose not to answer my questions on the private email system on Kickstarter and directed me to contact him via phone or by personal email. I contacted him by personal email with the exact questions as above.
3) ********************************************************************************
This is the response I received to my questions:
Dear xxxx,
Please execute and notarize the attached NDA, and return to the address listed via certified mail. This is a standard requirement for requests outside the bounds of customary disclosure. One received I will contact you. Please note the assumptions you base some questions on, are themselves incorrect.
Sincerely,
Barry
4) ********************************************************************************
I replied to Barry that I was not interested in signing an NDA as I felt there was nothing I was asking that justified an NDA beyond perhaps the photometrics report. I received the following reply:
5) ********************************************************************************
The response I received
Dear xxxx,
Numerous individuals and businesses are on NDA with me, and freely share a legally protected two way street of technical and business discussions. The attorney that helped develop my NDA advises to avoid parties who refuse to go on NDA and fully identify themselves because anyone interested in exploring a mutually beneficial business agreement would agree as a matter of course, for their own protection too.
You're welcome to buy a light and see for own personal private noncommercial use what's inside.
On a car, horsepower and torque and gearing and weight and aerodynamics can sound great. All that matters is what happens when the tires hit the asphalt. So too, here.
Sincerely,
Barry
********************************************************************************
I will leave it up to everyone to make their own conclusions with respect to this chain of emails. Personally, I think a reasonable response would have been to answer the questions that are not proprietary which should have been most of them, and ask for an NDA on the rest.
Semiman
1) ********************************************************************************
I asked the following questions using the email feature on Kickstarter. I think all the questions are fairly innocuous and are not asking for anything particularly proprietary and would not be out of the order for a potential purchaser and/public investor. One could argue the photometrics is maybe too much, but considering this thing has in theory been publicly demonstrated, at least in its functional form, nothing should be out of the ordinary:
Barry,
Several people have questions about the veracity of the claims on this Kickstarter. Can you please address this.
1) You claim to have a beam design that will not create glare for opposing riders and other road users. This requires an asymmetric beam pattern, i.e. more light to the right, less to the left, unless you drive on the opposite side of the road. HOWEVER, in the images that have been provided, this does not seem to be the case.
2) There appears to be a bright spot right in front of the bicycles in the image which appears to be a circular artifact. That could be distracting. Do you guarantee this will be eliminated from the final beam.
3) As a prospective investor, I am interested in seeing a 3rd party labs photometric test of your light. This will provide verifiable proof of light beam quality and efficiency.
4) The picture of the circuit board does not show any DC-DC converter circuitry. This would be required for maximum efficiency. Do you have a DC-DC constant current circuit for driving the LED? Is the light level constant for the whole battery life?
5) You claim 1400 lumens, however taking into account electrical losses, best in class LEDs at the required drive currents, and expected optical losses, I cannot see how you can put out 1400 lumens and meet your battery run time claims unless the light level drops over the batteries discharge. Can you address this?
Thank You
2) ********************************************************************************
Barry chose not to answer my questions on the private email system on Kickstarter and directed me to contact him via phone or by personal email. I contacted him by personal email with the exact questions as above.
3) ********************************************************************************
This is the response I received to my questions:
Dear xxxx,
Please execute and notarize the attached NDA, and return to the address listed via certified mail. This is a standard requirement for requests outside the bounds of customary disclosure. One received I will contact you. Please note the assumptions you base some questions on, are themselves incorrect.
Sincerely,
Barry
4) ********************************************************************************
I replied to Barry that I was not interested in signing an NDA as I felt there was nothing I was asking that justified an NDA beyond perhaps the photometrics report. I received the following reply:
5) ********************************************************************************
The response I received
Dear xxxx,
Numerous individuals and businesses are on NDA with me, and freely share a legally protected two way street of technical and business discussions. The attorney that helped develop my NDA advises to avoid parties who refuse to go on NDA and fully identify themselves because anyone interested in exploring a mutually beneficial business agreement would agree as a matter of course, for their own protection too.
You're welcome to buy a light and see for own personal private noncommercial use what's inside.
On a car, horsepower and torque and gearing and weight and aerodynamics can sound great. All that matters is what happens when the tires hit the asphalt. So too, here.
Sincerely,
Barry
********************************************************************************
I will leave it up to everyone to make their own conclusions with respect to this chain of emails. Personally, I think a reasonable response would have been to answer the questions that are not proprietary which should have been most of them, and ask for an NDA on the rest.
Semiman
AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
Which NDA is he using on potential customers and lighting enthusiasts?
- Status
